how about the legened of captain walker cut scene idea like in Mad Max Beyond The Thunderdome but instead of captain walker it is done with the rangers. It would be a great shout-out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23SVHUPrUJ4

I don't know. But, I know the theme of old school tech being taken to new limits would be a fun theme to play with overall. And that might be fun concept to play with in the style of the various cutscenes both in composition and creation.

There are some interesting elements and nice examples of how to really relate the mood and feel to the viewer that might be worth adapting.

Also, I always love when the elements used in a story are genuine. I always hated some of the phony filler for video and audio many movies use. Just another thing I have to suspend my disbelief with, especially when you hear and see the same recycled effects. And since this game does a lot of stuff with radios, it'd be nice to have some authenticity.

Imagine this playing out...

In a darkened room with various re-purposed computers derived from the 80's and 90's, a commanding officer stands behind and communications officer. The Comms officer constantly tweaks various radio equipment and inputs new instructions to the computers. Something resembling a heavily modified Commodore 64 is front of him.

Commander: What's this weird signal you've been getting.
Comms: Sir, it's occurring in the 10 meter band on one the frequencies we used to use a lot more. It's a sequence of numbers being repeated over and over again. I'll tune it in.

The Comms officer tunes into the frequency and the computer puts up a visual decoding of the Morse code message. (Let's say it looks like a 320x200 resolution with 256 colors). Over the Morse code message the numbers "1988 871" keep repeating on the screen. The audio is very weak, and distorted through amplification and processing. Occasionally, it goes out of phase and the numbers get garbled up, but the signal returns.

Commander: Odd...
Comms: It get stranger, sir. On a guess I decided to tried it as a frequency. 1988.871Khz. An an odd, non-standard frequency, but I got something on it. But...
Commander: But? But what?
Comms: I'll show you.

The Comms officer dials into the signal. Now a constant broadcast of some kind of encoded emits in bursts broken by long pauses of silence. The only message on the screen is this, as it's constantly repeated:

"SYSTEM FAILURE: 2113-10-01 23:58:00 TRANSMIT?"

Commander: Well? Have you responded yet?
Comms: No, sir. I got you immediately after I discovered this, sir.
Commander: Best not to keep it waiting. Send a "Y".
Comms: Yes, sir.

The heavily modified system puts up the low res 256 color image onto the screen with the audio stream in the background. There's a lot of interference as the image beams in. Line by line gets drawn on to the screen. The Commander backs away from the screen as a stern expression tries to hold back the dread boiling inside of him. The Comms officer leans towards the screen squinting.

Comms: Sir... Is that a-?
Commander: Yes. Pinpoint that signal as best as you can and get me a channel to Ranger HQ.

As the camera pans in, the low-res, limited color, and distorted image shows what it needs to...
Image created by sizing and dithering the Scorpitron background to 320x200 and 256 colors, then transmitting via fldigi using MSFK-64 at X4 speed to my laptop over the speakers... with AC running to bump up the background noise.

Overkill? Probably. But why cheap out? Why not have some fun in making it "real" down to the details. And talk about the atmosphere and precedence you could set with some of the starting cutscenes for the rest of the game.

Actually, it might make for a great mid-game cut scene to help explain why the Rangers are setting up a forward base in California. I mean, the Guardian's are nuts, but they keep to themselves (as far as they know), but getting word of a Scorpitron would get them good and worried.

Yeah that color scheme at least seems like in line with what Wasteland is in line with. 'sandy'

animated ink art would also work well too, like a animated comic. Broken Saints was a pretty cool art style for animated comic but for this game it would have be drawn out for the right effect. Much like that sand art video.

I have this weird hunch that doing a black-and-white live-action tonal intro is the way to go. I have no idea why I think that, but it seems to fit, somehow.

I'd have to see what's outlined in the script, of course, but there would be something so beautifully weird and unexpected about starting the game and getting this little short film, particularly if there was a way to seamlessly transition to color and in-game graphics.

Am I crazy?

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.

As a poster, I speak only for myself. PM me if you have any problems with the way I moderate.

Ryan Keokuk wrote:I think all cutscenes should be done using ragged Crank Yanker style puppets, narrated by a weeping mother telling the story.

Then when you cut to the mother at the end, its a robot (m night shyamalan)

This.

I'm glad someone enjoys low budget awesomeness. Honestly the only thing holding that back, is the way the medium and industry have steered away from live action. I think there's a valid option in that idea although not for this climate.

It all depends on budget to be honest, If they're on shoe string stuff, well

I've some (a few) youtube examples of art styles that I think would be interesting.